Over-50s told to cut back on booze

Doctors are urging the over-50s to cut back on their alcohol intake as part of the war on so-called 'saga louts'.

Manchester's NHS Trust has teamed up with a local advertising agency to raise awareness of alcohol-related diseases in older generations.

Posters with the slogan "Think you might be drinking too much?" will be put up on billboards around Manchester and in doctor's surgeries throughout May.

The campaign is the latest wave in the health drive targeting older people who drink more than the government's recommended limit.

Julian Gratton, creative director at Red C, which is handling the campaign, said: "One of the things that has been highlighted this year is actually not younger people but older people drinking to excess.

"A lot of it is to do with home measures - if you go into a pub and get a double vodka, that is going to be a double vodka. But at home, it's probably a quadruple vodka.

"The purpose of this campaign is not to lecture people but to encourage them to seek out more information."

But a local brewery has opted out of taking part in the health push.

JW Lees refused permission for an image of one of its beer towels to be included in the posters.

In an email to the advertisers, the brewer said: "Although we are keen to encourage responsible drinking, we feel that the advertising may have some negative connotations."

Gratton said: "We were quite disappointed because we thought it was quite a positive message."